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Anthonette Cayedito

In the early hours of April 6, 1986, someone knocked on the door of a home in Gallup, New Mexico. Nine-year-old Anthonette Cayedito answered it. She has never been seen again. A year later, a terrified girl called police and gave her name — before the line went dead.

"Who said you could use the phone?"

Those are the words a police dispatcher in Gallup, New Mexico heard shouted in the background of a 40-second phone call in 1987. Before that, a small girl's voice had given her name — twice — and said she was in Albuquerque.

Then came a scuffle. There was a scream, and then the line went dead.

The name she gave was Anthonette Cayedito. At the time of that 911 call, she had been missing for a year.

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A Knock in the Night

Anthonette was nine years old, a fourth-grader at Lincoln Elementary who lived with her mother Penny and her two younger sisters in Gallup, New Mexico. Her family called her "Squirrel,” and she helped her mom take care of her sisters.

On the night of April 5, 1986, Penny had been out with friends. She came home around midnight and sent the babysitter home. She last saw Anthonette around 3 a.m. When Penny got up at 7 a.m. to wake her daughters for Bible school, Anthonette wasn't in the house.

Penny searched the house, and when she didn’t find her daughter, she went door to door. But no one in the neighborhood had seen her. Neighbors joined the search, and in the days that followed police combed the surrounding foothills and brought in the FBI. Despite three days of searching, no trace of Anthonette was found. There was no physical evidence at the scene, and no sign of a struggle. Anthonette had simply been in her home one moment and gone the next. She ostensibly left only wearing her pink nightgown. Even her shoes had been left behind.

What Her Sister Remembered

Years later, investigators re-interviewed Anthonette's younger sister Wendy, who had been five years old the night Anthonette disappeared. Wendy told them she remembered a knock at the door around 3:30 a.m. She said Anthonette asked who was there, and a voice on the other side answered that it was her Uncle Joe.

Anthonette opened the door.

Wendy told the detectives that two men grabbed Anthonette, and that her sister was kicking and screaming as they carried her out.

The Sightings

In the years that followed, hundreds of tips came in from across the Southwest, but two stuck out.

The first was the 1987 911 call. Penny listened to the 40-second recording over and over and said she was certain the voice was her daughter's. The call was too short to trace.

The second came four years later, when a waitress in Carson City, Nevada reported serving a girl in her early teens seated with an unkempt-looking couple. The girl kept dropping her fork. Each time the waitress bent to retrieve it, the girl squeezed her hand. After they left, the waitress found a note hidden under the girl's plate.

It read: Help me! Call police.

Nothing ever came of it.

Forty Years Later

The Gallup Police Department, the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, and the FBI have all continued to appeal for information. The FBI has released age-progressed images and issued outreach materials in both Navajo and English. Anthonette's sisters have spoken publicly about the decades of grief that followed, and about their refusal to give up.

In our full episode, we walk through the night she vanished, the phone call, the sightings, and the questions that have surrounded this case for four decades. This case is solvable, and key players involved are still alive.

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Missing Person: Anthonette Christine Cayedito

Anthonette Cayedito has been missing from Gallup, New Mexico since April 6, 1986. She is a biracial (Native American and White) female of Navajo and Italian descent with brown hair and brown eyes. At the time of her disappearance, she was 9 years old, 4'7" and 55 pounds. She was last seen wearing a pink nightgown. She wore glasses and was known to wear a silver chain with a small turquoise cross pendant. She has freckles, pierced ears, a scar on her knee and lip, and moles on her back, right cheek, nose, hands, and right ankle.

If you have information, contact the FBI Albuquerque Field Office at (505) 889-1300, submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov, or contact the Gallup Police Department.

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Mikelle Biggs

On January 2, 1999, 11-year-old Mikelle Biggs was waiting outside her Mesa, Arizona home for an ice cream truck. Her sister went inside to grab her coat. When she came back — less than two minutes later — Mikelle was gone. Her bicycle was lying in the road, one wheel still spinning.

"Her hair was all golden in the sun and she was happy and having a good time. That's the last image I have of her."

That's how Kimber Biggs remembers her sister. She was standing on her bike pedals and smiling. Kimber was nine years old. Mikelle was eleven. They were waiting together outside their home in Mesa, Arizona for the ice cream truck.

Kimber went inside because she was getting chilly, and her mom sent her back out to get her sister. She was gone for 90 seconds, but when she came back, Mikelle had vanished. Kimber’s purple bicycle was lying in the road, one wheel still spinning. The two quarters their mother had given them for ice cream were on the ground beside it.

That was January 2, 1999. Mikelle Biggs has never been found.

Ninety Seconds

Investigators believe that's all it took. A ninety-second window was enough time for someone to pull up, grab an eleven-year-old girl, and disappear.

Search dogs were brought in almost immediately. They picked up Mikelle's scent and followed it, but they only went only a few feet before losing it entirely. The most likely explanation was that she was placed into a vehicle and driven away.

What followed was one of the largest searches in Arizona history. Tips poured in from across the country. Houses in the neighborhood were searched, and police interviewed over a thousand people. . A freshly dug patch of earth outside of town sent investigators scrambling, but they found nothing. There was no trace of Mikelle anywhere.

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The Neighbor

From early in the investigation, one name kept surfacing: Dee Lee Blalock. He was a registered sex offender who lived just two blocks from the Biggs family. He had prior convictions for sex crimes in three states. Investigators considered him a person of interest from the start, but his wife and sister-in-law gave him an alibi, telling police he had been home with them all evening.

Police moved on. The tips continued, and the years passed.

Then Blalock was arrested again — this time for the violent sexual assault of another neighbor, a woman who later told police from the ambulance on the way to the hospital that she believed Blalock had taken Mikelle. He was convicted on seven felony counts and sentenced to 187.5 years in prison.

After he went to prison, his ex-wife and former sister-in-law recanted their alibi statements. They told investigators he had actually been gone from approximately 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the evening Mikelle disappeared — the exact window in which she vanished.

Blalock has denied any involvement and he has never been charged in Mikelle's case.

Where Things Stand

Now, more than 25 years later, the Mesa Police Department has never stopped working this case. In 2024, Detective Paul Sipe was assigned as the new lead investigator and publicly confirmed that Blalock remains the primary person of interest. When asked directly whether there was still hope of solving it, his answer was yes.

In our full episode, we walk through every detail of that January evening: the timeline, the search, the suspect, and what investigators are still hoping to uncover. This is one of those cases that stays with you long after you've heard it.

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Missing Person: Mikelle Diane Biggs

Mikelle Diane Biggs has been missing from Mesa, Arizona since January 2, 1999. She is a white female with brown hair and hazel eyes. At the time of her disappearance, she was approximately 4 feet 8 inches tall and between 85 pounds. She had prominent upper front teeth, pierced ears, and several small moles on the left side of her neck. She was last seen wearing a red short-sleeved shirt with a white stripe, embroidered bell-bottom blue jeans, and white canvas shoes. Mikelle was 11 years old when she went missing. She would be 39 today.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Mikelle Biggs, please contact the Mesa Police Department Homicide Unit at 480-644-6195, or by email at p20008@mesaaz.gov. You can also leave an anonymous tip with Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (480-948-6377). 

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The Unsolved Mystery of Michael Dunahee: A Search for Answers

In 1991, young Michael Dunahee vanished during a flag football tournament in Victoria, leaving a void that decades have failed to fill. The Dunahee family's unwavering hope endures through annual events like the Michael Dunahee Keep the Hope Alive run, now in its 32nd year. Despite unsettling twists, from self-proclaimed psychics to false claimants, the family persists. Crystal's recent DNA submission symbolizes their ongoing quest for answers. The lingering question remains—where is Michael Dunahee, and will the shadows of this enduring mystery ever reveal the truth?

Michael Wayne Dunahee's disappearance in 1991 remains one of the most haunting mysteries in Victoria, British Columbia. Born on May 12, 1986, to Crystal and Bruce Dunahee, Michael vanished without a trace during a flag football tournament at Blanshard Park Elementary School. Despite the years that have passed, the Dunahee family continues their relentless pursuit of answers.

The Disappearance

March 24, 1991 started as a typical suburban Sunday for the Dunahee family. Crystal, Bruce, and their two children, Michael and Caitlin, headed to the elementary school for a flag football tournament. Michael, only four years old, was drawn to the adjacent playground. Despite initial misgivings, Crystal allowed him to play while she prepared for the tournament.

The events leading to Michael's disappearance are somewhat unclear. Conflicting accounts mention a game of hide and seek, but early newspaper articles contained factual errors. What is certain is that Michael went missing, prompting an immediate response from the police and the community. Detective Inspector Fred Mills described the situation as more than a missing child—it had all the signs of an abduction.

Search Efforts

The search for Michael involved over 200 people, including police, civilians, and the Coast Guard. Helicopters with heat-seeking equipment scoured the area, but the first week yielded no leads. Tips poured in, and police released a sketch of a potential suspect described as a Caucasian male in his late 30s or early 40s.

Amidst the search, reports of a brown van and a potential link to previous abduction attempts in the area surfaced. As the investigation progressed, the focus shifted from the van to other leads, and by April 4, the police ruled out its significance.

Twists and Turns

The case took various turns over the years, with tips ranging from sightings of Michael to unsettling discoveries. Despite investigations into individuals claiming to be Michael, DNA tests consistently proved otherwise. Notably, a self-proclaimed psychic named Vernon Seitz had one of Michael's missing posters, but no connection was established.

As the years passed, the Dunahees faced accusations and wild speculations. Online sleuths suggested Michael's appearance on a cooking show or his involvement in a supposed satanic ritual. The prevailing theories, however, revolve around his abduction and murder by a local sex offender or his upbringing by a woman unable to have children.

Keeping Hope Alive

Michael's parents, Crystal and Bruce, never gave up hope and continued searching for their son. The annual Michael Dunahee Keep the Hope Alive fun run and walk, now in its 32nd year, keeps Michael's memory alive. Crystal and Bruce's enduring marriage, a rare feat among parents of long-term missing children, reflects their unwavering commitment.

Despite the challenges, Crystal remains optimistic, submitting her DNA to national databases in case Michael explores his family history. In 2021, the Victoria police launched an online portal for tips, receiving hundreds since its inception.

The mystery of Michael Dunahee's disappearance persists, leaving the family, investigators, and the community yearning for answers. As technology and awareness advance, hope remains that someone, somewhere, holds the key to solving this enduring puzzle. The Dunahees continue their quest for closure, fueled by the belief that Michael may still be alive, waiting for the truth to come to light. The case remains open, and until the day answers emerge, the search for Michael Dunahee continues.

You can listen to the full episode of ‘And Then They Were Gone’ on your favorite podcast app.

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Codi Bigsby Disappearance: Latest Developments in Murder Case - Indictment of Cory Bigsby

The case of Codi Bigsby's disappearance has been ongoing since January 2022. Codi's father, Cory Bigsby, reported his son missing from their Buckroe townhome, and police named him as the only person of interest in their investigation. After months of investigation, the authorities have concluded that Codi is dead, and on June 5, 2023, Cory Bigsby was indicted for the murder and concealment of Codi's body. This update on the case will explore the latest developments in the investigation and the efforts to find Codi.

The Search for Codi

On January 31, 2022, Cory Bigsby reported his 4-year-old son, Codi, missing from their Buckroe townhome. A search immediately ensued, but Codi was nowhere to be found. Police named Cory as the only person of interest in their investigation. The authorities have long presumed that Codi is dead, although his body has never been found.

From the first minutes of the investigation, Hampton Police Chief Mark Talbot said that the evidence about what likely occurred has been very clear. There is little about this that has been mysterious. Since then, the authorities have been working tirelessly to find Codi's body and bring justice to his family.

Cory Bigsby's Arrest and Mental Competency

During the initial investigation, Cory Bigsby was taken down to the station for questioning, which turned into an interrogation that spanned days. He was subsequently arrested on multiple charges of child neglect, and since then, he has remained in jail. His mental competency has been called into question, and after several hearings, a grand jury was convened and on June 5, 2023, Cory Bigsby was indicted for the murder and concealment of Codi's body.

The Mental Health Evaluation

A recently released mental health evaluation reveals that Cory Bigsby is competent to stand trial. Dr. Weare Zwermer conducted an evaluation of Cory Bigsby in February and March, during which he determined that Bigsby seemed to understand the legal process ahead of him but not the seriousness of the charges against him. The evaluation also detailed Bigsby's "escalating paranoia" and a series of "bizarre" behaviors during his time at the Hampton Roads Regional Jail.

In March, Bigsby's team requested a judge to dismiss the charges against him after they say the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office obtained evidence that wasn't submitted to the defense for months. The evidence is a written statement Bigsby wrote while in jail. Bigsby's defense team said the Commonwealth got a copy of that letter on Aug. 3 but did not share it with the defense team until November.

The Competency Restoration Services

Bigsby was behind bars without bail at the Hampton Roads Regional Jail until a judge ordered him to Eastern State Hospital in March to receive competency restoration services after an exam found him incompetent to stand trial. Licensed Clinical Psychologist William McKenna evaluated the father on May 30 and determined he is now competent to stand trial.

During his hospitalization, Bigsby's thought process was "goal-directed" and did not contain "overt delusional ideation, obsessions, or phobias," according to the report. He also denied having any auditory or visual hallucinations. A doctor diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and prescribed him medication.

Bigsby began competency restoration services on April 19 and addressed several concerns that Zwermer highlighted in his evaluation of the father that happened in the spring. Those included conflicting background information that Bigsby gave several medical providers, which the father said had been "misinterpreted." He also told the counselor that he gave erroneous biographical information to at least one evaluation because "he believed the evaluator did not need to know such personal details," the report states.

The Indictment

On June 5, 2023, a grand jury indicted Cory Bigsby on charges of murder and concealment of a dead body. The paperwork associated with the indictment has not been filed yet in Hampton Circuit Court, according to clerks in that office. He's also facing 30 charges connected to the alleged abuse and neglect of Codi and his brothers.

Codi's Legacy

Codi's disappearance has had a profound effect on his family, friends, and the community at large. Despite the challenges of this case, Codi's memory lives on through the efforts of those who have worked tirelessly to find him and bring justice to his family.

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Bonus: 9 Case Updates

I can hardly believe we’re getting ready to start season 4 and we've covered over 100 unsolved missing persons cases. It's been quite a journey, and we've come a long way since our first episode.

As you know, some of the cases we've covered have had significant updates, and we've been able to do bonus episodes on them. In others, there has been nothing but silence. But in this episode, we want to catch you up on what’s been happening since we last spoke about these cases. We'll go through our entire archive and talk about the cases that have been making progress. They may be more minor updates, but every inch forward is crucial.

Before we dive into the cases, I want to take a moment to thank our amazing community of listeners. Your support and engagement have been truly incredible, and we couldn't have come this far without you. Your tips, information, and insights have been invaluable in helping us shed light on these unsolved cases.

As we all know, missing persons cases often fade into obscurity as time passes. It's so important to keep these cases in the public eye, and that's exactly what we've been doing with this podcast. By giving a voice to families and loved ones, we're helping to ensure that their stories are heard and that they never give up hope.

In this episode, we're bringing updates on Heather Teague, Morgan Nick, Brandy Myers, Sofia Juarez, Trudy Appleby, Deirdre Jacob, Oakley Carlson, Billy Smolinski, and Irene Gakwa. We'll be sharing any new developments we've found since we last spoke about them.

I'm so grateful for this community and the work we've been able to do together. We may not have all the answers yet, but every inch of progress is crucial in bringing closure and answers to families and loved ones. Thank you for your continued support, and let's keep shining a light on these important cases.

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